OAR 413-010-0510: Notice

(1) When the Department takes any of the actions described in OAR 413-010-0500(2), the Department issues a written notice to the person that has the right to a contested case hearing. (2) When the Department takes any of the actions described in OAR 413-010-0500(2)(a)-(c), the written notice must: (a) Specify the date the notice is mailed or personally delivered; (b) Specify the action the Department intends to take and the effective date of the action. If benefits are reduced or closed to reflect cost-of-living adjustments in benefits or other mass change under a program operated by a federal agency or to reflect a mass change to payments in another program operated by the Department, it is sufficient to meet this requirement that the notice state all of the following: (A) The general nature of the change. (B) Examples of how the change affects the benefits of the group of affected clients. (C) The month in which the change will take place. (c) Specify the circumstances under which payments or benefits are continued if a hearing is requested and whether continued payments or benefits may be subject to recovery by the Department if the Department's action is upheld; and (d) If the Department intends to terminate benefits or payments because the individual is ineligible for the benefits or payments or the program is terminated, state that the individual may reapply for assistance if circumstances affecting the eligibility of the individual change. (3) Department notices indicate that the Department designates the record of the proceeding, including information in the Department's file or files and materials added by a party, as the record upon default. When the Department issues a notice to which OAR 137-003-0672 applies, unless another rule in OAR chapter 413 provides otherwise, the Department's notice becomes a final order: (a) The day after the date prescribed in the notice as the deadline for requesting the hearing if the party fails to request a hearing; or (b) The day the Department or OAH mails an order dismissing the hearing request because the party withdraws the request or fails to appear on the date and at the time set for the hearing. (4) When the Department terminates or reduces benefits or services under subsections (2)(a) through (2)(c) of OAR 413-010-0500, the Department must send the notice: (a) At least 10 calendar days before the effective date of the action, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section. (b) When the Department changes a benefit standard that results in the reduction, suspension or closure of a grant of public assistance: (A) At least 30 days before the effective date of the action; or (B) At least 10 working days before the effective date of the action when the Department has fewer than 60 days before the effective date to implement the proposed change. (c) For purposes of this rule, the term "changes a benefit standard" means a change to the applicable inflation-adjusted contribution, income, or payment standard. It does not include the annual adjustment to a standard based on a federal or state inflation rate.